LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a new air interface technology that incorporates Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) in the downlink and Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) in the uplink. Together with Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) and beamforming antenna technology, LTE is designed to increase data throughput rates and quality of service, while significantly improving network capacity and reducing delivery cost. LTE supports MBSFN (Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network) to deliver multicast and mobile broadcast television services. LTE can be deployed in 1.5 MHz bandwidth increments up to 20 MHz of contiguous spectrum in the FDD and TDD mode.

The standard for LTE along with its flat IP-based core network, known as System Evolved Architecture (SAE), is defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as Release 8. LTE is considered to be a next generation mobile technology solution. The more advanced version of LTE, known as LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), is expected to meet the requirements being established by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for “IMT-Advanced” systems; and, if so, is being considered as a fourth generation (4G) mobile technology solution by ITU-R.

CDMA2000 operators will be among the first to commercialize LTE in the world. LTE will coexist with and augment the network capacity of CDMA2000 EV-DO broadband networks by leveraging wider bandwidths (e.g., greater than 10 MHz).